We can start reading this year’s Hall of Fame inductee nomination at anyone of the following paragraphs and you will know whom we are talking about. So, for simplicity and ease of understanding we’ll start at the top. First, I would like everyone to stand up and as soon as you know you are not this person I would like you all to sit down. I think we will only have one person standing withing the first 10 words. Let’s see.
This man’s a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and Coach (expect everyone but Bernie to be sitting down).
Bernie didn’t begin racing until age 40. It turned out that hard work and some natural talent gave him multiple age group wins at all distances as well as a personal best of 2:58 at the Boston Marathon. Bernie has completed sixteen marathons.
We do know that Bernie qualified for the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships four times and competed there three times (95, 97, 98). He placed 5th in the 55-59 age group in 1995 and was one of the first men in the U.S. to break the five-hour barrier at the half Ironman distance (1.2-mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) in that age group. To put things in perspective, at the May 2009 Ironman race at Disney, only one man in the age group went sub-five hours and he was a mere 55 years old. Later that year, at the Miami Man Half Ironman, no one went sub-five. Bernie helped break the perception that people held that old people can’t go fast. The last time Bernie broke this barrier was at age 59.
In addition to being an accomplished runner and triathlete, Bernie has, and continues to give back to the running community. He was a Space Coast Runners Club board member for three years – 2002, 2003, and 2004. Bernie has volunteered at multiple races and can be seen at many running events coaching and supporting all runners and triathletes.
In 2003, Bernie volunteered to direct the Space Coast Marathon. He had a vision of turning the marathon into something more than it was at that time. He knew if it was managed differently, it could be the premier event not only for SCR but also nationally.
As the Race Director, he assigned authority and accountability to team captains who were responsible for various functions (finish line, aid stations, course ops, etc.) He moved the course to Cocoa to run along the Indian River; and certified it through USATF. Certifying a 5K course takes a seasoned certifier a minimum of eight hours of measuring and filling out the applicable paper work. Certifying a marathon course is the equivalent of certifying almost nine 5K courses.
Bernie also added a pre-race pasta dinner at the Radisson and invited guest speakers, Hal Higdon. The event drew a record 500+ registrants and netted the highest proceeds in SCR history ($10,000). The proceeds put the club in the black financially and provided SCR the ability to contribute $3,000 to the Women’s Center, at that time the largest donation ever contributed by SCR. Bernie’s efforts proved that SCR could produce a class event and give back substantially to the community.
In addition to directing the marathon, Bernie started a marathon training camp for registered participants. Keep in mind that directing a 5K is a major endeavor. Directing a marathon is magnitudes greater. That didn’t matter. Bernie’s passion to help runners of all abilities accomplishes their goals and his extensive running knowledge resulted in several of his campers placing in their age groups and/or qualifying for the Boston Marathon. One of his campers, first-time marathoner Tammy Foster, was the overall female winner at the Space Coast Marathon.
Through running and tri clinics, as well as one-on-one coaching, Bernie has helped scores of people achieve their personal best at races from 5K though the Ironman which consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run. One of his Ironman trainee’s, Brenda Jones, placed ninth overall at her first Ironman – the Great Floridian. Admired by campers, trainees and friends, Bernie is respectively known as “Coach Bernie”.
In 2004 Bernie, a cancer survivor, was selected by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to ride with Lance and the Tour of Hope Team. The eight-day ride, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. was an event sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb and the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise awarenessa bout cancer clinical trials. During the six-month training period and along the Tour route, athletes spoke publicly at rallies, to national news mediea – Bernie and two others appeared on NBC’s TODAY Show, local media and organizations about the hope that is growing for those stricken with the disease.
It is with great pride that the Space Coast Runners Club is inducting athlete, volunteer, and Coach Bernie Sher into the Space Coast Runners Hall of Fame on this date, May 15, 2010. Nominated and submitted by Marty Winkel